winter heating

[gary]

Not at all but by the lack of a query, forgive me now for assuming you were sorted. As I said though, if it's baffling you it probably means it's faulty.

The gas fire, electric and the fan are all separate bits, because of that you need to set them to work together, that in itself can be confusing.

Simple test, fan off and mains isolation switch on, switch on on control switch and set to 2kw and highest setting on dial, you should now get loads of heat from the front of the fire?

 

[xtrailman]

My posts above only refer to heating on electric, i never use gas. The system cannot cope on electric alone, during the cold parts of the season.

The stat is remote, and working fine. As i have mentioned we use the 500w convection mode all night, stat set to no6, the hysteresis of the stat, i cannot comment on, but it does the job.

Where the heating fails miserably is supplying the rear bathroom, obviously the fan is required for this, adjusting the diverter flap rear of the fire has little noticeable effect.

I am quite sure the heat losses through the 3m plus ducting, under the caravan is the culprit. As far as i am concerned bailey should have lagged the ducting to the required level.

But in my opinion this ducting should be run INSIDE the caravan, so all heat lost is inside the van, not warming up the planet?

So by using the fitted heater on convection mode only, set at 1kw, and a remote fan heater in the bathroom, set on its own stat, then maximum efficiency is achieved. The van is very cosy on 2kw of electricity.

Which i have paid for whether i use it or not.

The system bailey have fitted is not fit for purpose, and defiantly not "green".

Having said that the system copes ok in the summer.

 

[gary]

Truma fitted the original stat in the control switch and told manufactures not to fit the switch near sources of heat, this advice was largely ignored because the ideal place to fit is always going to be near other heat sources, score 1:1

Truma then started supplying remote stats and variously advised to fit 'on the outside wall above the door', or failing that at 'somewhere at shoulder height'. The first must be the daftest place, the second not far behind, score 2:1 against Truma.

Truma now supply a stat already clipped to the fire, (I wonder where they got that idea from?), not their fault then if manufactures forget to plug the other end in at assembly, score 2:2

As far as ducting is concerned, Truma supply high quality outer insulation pipe for routing under the van, it's expensive and IMO OK for up to 1.5M, so, not a Truma fault if it's omitted or used for twice that length, score, Truma win 2:3 by a dodgy refs decision and a manufactures own goals!!

Overall then Truma electric heating will perform in all weathers if only some thought went into it's overall installation?!

 

[SBS]

Gary, you are assuming that Bailey HAVE fitted insulated ducting. If not, no wonder it's not working. Do you think that, even if the correct ducting was fitted, it couldn't hurt to add some additional insulation.

I have already insulated the o/s wheel box and intend to do the n/s under the wardrobe. The less heat that escapes from the 'van, the better.

Mike

 

[xtrailman]

The main source of heat loss in our van is via the gas vent holes in the floor, on the plus side they do provide cooling for the charger.

 

[machighlander]

cheers Gary,

i will try out the test you have said, this is what i was meaning re no heat coming from the heater.

cheers

 

[gary]

This may well not concern you Ray? but pre 98 vans are over ventilated and much can be done to reduce excessive floor level ventilation therefore draughts and heat loss in winter

However, you say 'gas drop holes' which of course should not be interfered with, these though are generally small and well away from sight. I'm thinking of quite large floor vents which are not near gas appliances, are designed to vent 'up' into the main living space, serve no practical purpose at least during winter, and can be safely removed.

 

[gary]

Gary, you are assuming that Bailey HAVE fitted insulated ducting. If not, no wonder it's not working. Do you think that, even if the correct ducting was fitted, it couldn't hurt to add some additional insulation.

I have already insulated the o/s wheel box and intend to do the n/s under the wardrobe. The less heat that escapes from the 'van, the better.

Mike

I'll make one assumption... you spelt Gray wrong? LOL

 

[Surfer]

Hi Gary, As ours is a 2004 model caravan this could be the reason why we have had some much trouble with the heating in the caravan. We had to have a fan heater running most of this weekend to keep the caravan warm.

Seems there is also a fault with the 2000w setting as it seems to set to 500w instead. We are praying that you will be able to sort it all out when we see you at Newark.

 

[gary]

Hi Gary, As ours is a 2004 model caravan this could be the reason why we have had some much trouble with the heating in the caravan. We had to have a fan heater running most of this weekend to keep the caravan warm.

Seems there is also a fault with the 2000w setting as it seems to set to 500w instead. We are praying that you will be able to sort it all out when we see you at Newark.

I'm bringing one of my uprated control boards and plenty of my sensor, (sold several last New year!), plus anything else that might be required.

So I'll have you roasting like a Christmas turkey Ian or I'll be a monkeys uncle!

 

[Dave_374330759]

The specification (BS EN1645-1 class 2) for the van heating and insulation assumes that all of the heating (both gas and electric) is used to maintain the temperature of the van at 20 degrees when its 0 outside. The electric heating is considered supplementry to the gas heater (by Truma as well). The Bailey Pegasus has a higher insulation value and conforms to Class 3 which allows the outside temperature to drop down to -15 degrees but still assumes that both gas and elctric are used to maintain the internal temperature.

In most cases you can get away with just 2kw of electric but if the wind is in the wrong direction or you've got a biggish van then it will struggle and you'll have to use gas as well.

Not sure if 6" of snow on the roof enhances or reduces it's insulation value.

Even our central heating at home struggles a bit if the wind is in the wrong direction even with cavity wall insulation.

 

[emmerson2]

For our winter caravan heating we use two 750watt oil-filled radiators, on 24/7 with built in thermostats, and a fan heater to boost when neccesary. Its not unusual to return to the van after its bben closed for a few hours to find the heaters have shut off, so I guess we must have good insulation.And the van is thirty years old!

I'll let you know how we get on Scotland over New Year!

 

[emmerson2]

For our winter caravan heating we use two 750watt oil-filled radiators, on 24/7 with built in thermostats, and a fan heater to boost when neccesary. Its not unusual to return to the van after its bben closed for a few hours to find the heaters have shut off, so I guess we must have good insulation.And the van is thirty years old!

I'll let you know how we get on Scotland over New Year!

PS Btw, we do have gas-fired blown air heating for non-electric sites, but that is only just adequate. I wouldn't like to be without leccy now, cos I'm getting too old to stand too much cold!